An 8-month-old toy poodle puppy, abused and tortured by a Schenectady man in January, has a new home and new owner.
Angel, formerly called Carmella, will grow up under the care and attention of Arlene Conway of Colonie. Conway was one of 100 people who asked to adopt the puppy after the Schenectady County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took possession of it earlier this month. The SPCA interviewed 20 people before settling on Conway.
SPCA Inspecter David Dean said Angel and Conway bonded immediately, making the choice obvious: “The dog picked her. She climbed up on her lap and seemed settled,” he said.
Dean said Angel likes attention and wants to be with someone all day, both of which Conway is willing to provide.
“To go from being tortured and abused, it seemed best to have someone for her all day long,” he said.
The SPCA acquired Angel as part of a plea agreement involving Thomas Hendricks, 28, of Front Street. Hendricks pleaded guilty March 17 to three counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals, also known as Buster’s Law, before Judge Karen Drago. Drago will sentence him to two years in state prison on May 12.
Prosecutor Jessica Lorusso said Hendricks received the maximum sentence allowed under Buster’s Law, two years under each plea, to be served concurrently.
Hendricks was arrested in January, accused of drowning and choking one dog to death in December, beating another to death with a pool cue in late January and scalding Angel severely on Jan. 12, police said.
Hendricks’ attacks on the dogs were in response to arguments with his wife, aimed at instilling fear in her, according to the police and the SPCA.
Hendricks’ wife’s first dog, a long-haired dachshund named Beary, was killed sometime in the second week of December, she told investigators. Hendricks held Beary with the dog’s nose and mouth directly under running water, all the while squeezing the dog to death, according to papers. Beary’s remains were found in a back shed at 122 Front St.
Hendricks beat another dog to death, a long-haired dachshund named Fudge, with a pool cue, snapping the stick in half in the process.
On Jan. 12, Hendricks attacked Angel, holding the dog under scalding water and causing it to suffer severe burning to her legs and hind area. He also pulled hair out of the dog’s legs.
Dean said Angel’s body is still healing from the injuries. She has red marks from the scalding and bald spots where Hendricks pulled out hair.
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